Our Motto
Our Motto: A History of Service
At Sam Houston State University, service isn't just something we talk about. It is a tradition that shapes Bearkats to rise, give back, and build lives devoted to others. The phrase “The measure of a Life is its Service” began as a way to honor one man in 1908, and turned into a motto that has guided generations of Bearkats.
President Henry Carr Pritchett encouraged students to measure both their academic mastery and their character. Following his passing, faculty sought a quote to honor him. Augusta Lawrence, professor of literature, suggested a line from Mary Raymond Shipman’s short story The Militants. The words were etched into a stained-glass window in Old Main: “The measure of a Life is its Service.” It soon came to be known as the University motto.
Through the challenges of the Great Depression and World War II, the motto continued to inspire, though it became less visible on campus.
Alumnus and president James Gaertner revived the motto, ensuring it became central to Sam Houston State's identity once again. In 2006, the words were etched into the university’s renovated outdoor mall, where they continue to greet visitors and students alike.
Within the newly renovated and expanded Lowman Student Center, a piece of the university’s history was preserved. The historic stained-glass window bearing the motto, once lost to fire, was faithfully recreated and officially installed. Just a short distance from where the first window was once displayed in Old Main, the replica piece finally found its new home on campus.
Preserving History
The replica of the historic stained-glass window bearing the motto, once lost to fire.